Nutrient management planning
A Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation (CAFO) Water Pollutant Discharge Elimination System (WPDES) permit requires a field-specific, phosphorus-based [PDF] nutrient management plan (NMP) that outlines the amounts, timing, locations, methods and other aspects related to land application of manure and process wastewater. Implementation of a NMP helps prevent or minimize manure or other wastewater runoff from fields to surface waters or groundwater. Nutrient management planning also ensures applied nutrients meet crop needs.
Nutrient management planning can be complicated and take a considerable amount of time and effort. One NMP may cover thousands of acres and contain over 100 fields. Planning may be for areas with multiple crops and different soils with different nutrient requirements and limitations. Nutrient management plans require:
- field soil testing reports;
- planned or actual application rates, methods and timing for manure and process wastewater;
- field soil erosion and phosphorus delivery to surface waters calculations;
- nutrient crediting;
- maps showing field-specific spreading restrictions and soils;
- manure spreading field-specific reports and procedures; and
- detailed plan narratives.
An ATCP 50.48 qualified nutrient management planner [exit DNR] must develop or review and sign a CAFO’s NMP. DNR approval of a CAFO NMP requires submitting a plan that is consistent with all NR 243.14, Wis. Adm. Code [exit DNR] requirements.
NMP Design: WPDES permit issuance or reissuance
Note: Materials denoted with an asterisk (*) are available in the ePermitting System.
- Form 3400–025B: Nutrient Management Plan checklist livestock/poultry operation WPDES permit application *
- WI NRCS 590 Standard Nutrient Management Plan checklist [PDF]
- Farm specific narrative [DOC]
- SnapPlus [exit DNR] reports or equivalent
- Field specific spreading restriction maps [exit DNR]
- Spring, summer, fall spreading restriction maps
- Winter [PDF] spreading restriction maps
- Manure and soil testing results [PDF][exit DNR] from DATCP-certified laboratory
- Emergency response plan
- Record keeping forms
- Daily haul log [XLSX]
- Field and map verification log (see narrative)
- Drain tile inspection log (see narrative)
- Emergency Winter Spreading Plan
- 5-year Nutrient Management Plan submittal checklist [PDF]
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This checklist is a tool for CAFO facilities and their crop consultants to assist with development of a complete 5-year Nutrient Management Plan (NMP). Use of this checklist is recommended, but NOT required; however, utilizing this checklist and providing the information listed will support a more efficient review process.
The checklist is broken into 8 sections with information on what to submit for that section and tips/reminders about formatting, labeling, and other recommendations. Sections 7 and 8 may not be applicable to all facilities and can be ignored it that is the case.
Feel free to contact Aaron O’Rourke at Aaron.Orourke@Wisconsin.gov with any questions regarding this checklist.
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Annual NMP reporting requirements
All CAFO permittees are required to submit to the department annual and daily spreading information, monitoring reports and other information requested by the department on an annual basis. This annual reporting is divided into two reports: 1) Annual Report, typically due January 31 of each year, and 2) Nutrient Management Plan update, typically due March 31 of each year.
1. Annual report
- 3400-025E: Annual report checklist *
- 2017-11 Annual Report Guidance [PDF]
2. Nutrient Management Plan update
- 3400-025B: Nutrient Management Plan checklist livestock/poultry operation WPDES permit application *
- 3400-025D: Nutrient Management Plan annual checklist update *
- WI NRCS 590 Standard Nutrient Management Plan checklist [PDF]
- 2017-11 NMP Annual Update Guidance [PDF]
Substantial revisions to a CAFO NMP
All substantial revisions to a CAFO NMP are required to be public noticed and are posted for a 14-day public notice period. A substantial revision is defined as a change that will increase the risk of pollutant (nitrogen or phosphorus) transport to navigable water. Anyone can view and track substantial revisions that are posted for public notice at the department’s Water permit applications web page. The department has created guidance 3800-2014-01 [PDF] on what constitutes a substantial revision to a CAFO NMP and the public input process for these revisions. Instructions 3800-2015-10 [PDF] are available on how permittees can submit a request for a substantial NMP modification.
14-day public notice for substantial NMP revisions
Beginning April 1, 2015, substantial revisions to a CAFO’s nutrient management plan (NMP) are required to be public noticed and must be posted for a 14-day public notice period.
- These substantial revisions include new fields, winter spreading plans, installation or identification of tile lines or features, and other changes that have the potential to increase the risk of nitrogen or phosphorus transport to navigable water.
- Public comments on a substantial changes to nutrient management plans can be submitted via water public notices. Select “livestock public notice” to view the proposed revisions and provide comments.
- You can also view other permit information by visiting Water permit applications.
- 3800-2014-01 DNR guidance on public notice of modifications to an NMP [PDF]
Useful NMP-related documents
- CAFO applications on shallow groundwater soils [PDF] (interim guidance)
- CAFO applications within Surface Water Quality Management Areas (SWQMA) [PDF]
- 3800-2014-01 CAFO Nutrient Management Plans – public notice of modifications to an NMP [PDF]
- 3800-2015-10 Instructions for submitting NMP Substantial Revisions [PDF]
- 2017-11 Annual Report Guidance [PDF]
- 2017-11 NMP Annual Update Guidance [PDF]
Annual CAFO workshops
The DNR’s CAFO program in cooperation with UW-Extension hold annual CAFO workshops during the first few weeks of February. These workshops are typically held in various locations throughout the state and cover a wide variety of topics specific to CAFOs. Presentations from the workshops are posted below.
Engineering
- 2024 180 Day Storage
- 2024 Engineering Lighting Topics
- 2021 Clean Water Diversions
- 2021 Design Review Process
- 2021 Clean Water Diversion FSA2
- 2020 Evaluation issues and Days of Storage
- 2018 180 day storage calculations [exit DNR]
- 2016 Bunker silage storage leachate and runoff management [PDF] (UW Discovery Farms)
- 2015 Operation and maintenance of CAFO production facilities [PDF] (DNR)
- 2015 CAFO engineering 101 [PDF] (DNR)
Nutrient management
- 2024 NNP Substantial Revisions
- 2024 Submitting a High Quality NNP
- 2024 Tillage, cropping and manure
- 2021 Draft NR151 Update
- 2021 Drain Tile Requirements
- 2021 Field Verification
- 2021 High Quality NMPs
- 2020 Emergency Manure Storage
- 2020 Emergency Spreading
- 2020 Headland stacking
- 2020 SnapPlus Updates
- 2019 NR 151.075 Silurian bedrock performance standards [exit DNR]
- 2019 Low cost techniques for permit compliance-nutrient management [exit DNR]
- 2018 Manure hauling audits and manure distribution [exit DNR]
- 2017 Surface applications, CAFOs and cover crops [PDF] (DNR)
- 2017 Nutrient management issues observed [PDF] (DNR)
- 2016 Manure irrigation, the permitting process and what you need to know [PDF] (DNR)
- 2016 SnapPlus 15, SnapMaps, and map update [PDF] (DATCP)
- 2015 SnapPlus: Beyond the basics webinar [PDF] (DATCP)
- 2015 Emergency fall/winter spreading [PDF] (DNR)
- 2015 Nutrient Management Plan substantial revision submittals using SharePoint [PDF] (DNR)
- 2015 Karst reminders: Recognizing features, preventing problems [PDF] (DNR)
- 2015 Spill response plans and general reminders [PDF] (DNR)
Permit
- 2024 Mortality Composting Management
- 2024 Production Area Maintenance
- 2021 Draft NR151 Update
- 2021 Drain Tile Requirements
- 2021 Field Verification
- 2021 High Quality NMPs
- 2020 CAFO Intro and Vision
- 2020 CAFO Program Overview
- 2020 NR 151 TPS
- 2020 Monitoring and Inspection Tips
- 2019 Low cost techniques for permit compliance-production site [exit DNR]
- 2018 SharePoint [exit DNR]
- 2018 Spills response [exit DNR]
- 2017 Production site compliance [PDF] (DNR)
- 2017 Monitoring, reporting & compliance [PDF] (DNR)
- 2015 Heifers on CAFO pastures: WPDES permit requirements. Green Bay, New London, Fond du Lac, Marshfield [PDF] (DNR)
- 2015 Heifers on CAFO pastures: WPDES permit requirements. Rice Lake [PDF] (DNR)
Other
- 2024 Manure Treatment Systems
- 2024 Water Use High Capacity Wells
- 2019 Working with DNR to respond to emergencies [exit DNR]
- 2016 Dairy LEP update [PDF] (UW-Extension)
- 2016 Farm crisis plan and responding to media [PDF] (UW-Extension)
- 2016 MAnure PHosphorus EXtraction System [PDF] (USDA)
- 2015 Implements of husbandry: WI Act 377 [PDF] (UW-Extension)
- 2015 Why every heifer should be raised on pasture [PDF] (NRCS)
- 2015 Groundwater and geology of southwest Wisconsin [PDF] (UW-Extension)